#wearallthebabies

I've been meaning to do a post on babywearing for a while now, mostly because it has just been SUCH a lifesaver for us.  Truly, when people ask if Claire has potentially been colicky or fussy at all, I have no idea what to say to them.  Every time she fusses or cries (beyond just being hungry or having a need that isn't being met) we put her in a sling/soft structured carrier/stretchy wrap.  Then she instantly falls asleep!  There is a reason Sakura Bloom claims their slings have #sleepydust.  They really do - and #happydust, and #calmdust, and any other kind of magic dust you wish existed for making good babies.  Seriously, every stroller we own is collecting dust, except our jogging strollers.  (And yes, I said strollers, plural.  I've acquired quite a fleet, mostly used, but I've got a stroller post coming!)  

Surprisingly, it's something I think there is still very little knowledge of!  I've heard countless moms tell me since Claire has been born that their babies were endlessly fussy, they had to be rocked constantly, they were never sleeping, and every time I would ask if they had used babywearing as a tool I was met with a "what?"  So I'm spreading the gospel.  Wear the babies!  All the babies!  Here we go...

First up is the Sakura Bloom sling.  This is far and away my favorite way to wear Claire.  Slings have multiple positioning options, are incredibly easy to nurse in, and can be used with babies newborn to toddler.  They ABSOLUTELY take a little practice - watching YouTube videos certainly helps. The very first night Claire came home with us, she literally woke up every hour, and we had no idea what to do.  Finally we decided if we were going to get any sleep, we would do it in shifts, so Darrell took her on a 5 am walk in the sling.  After just 30 minutes she completely passed out and slept for the next 3 hours.  Sakura bloom slings come in several different fabric choices - single layer classic linen, double layer silk, and double layer linen they call "chambray."  You can also find older styles in a pure thin linen.

Claire in our Cedar Classic sling.  

Slings are my favorite because they're so comfortable and also beautiful.  They're also incredibly easy to breastfeed in, discreetly.  The tail makes an instant nursing cover if you want it, although it isn't really even necessary.  Just tugging the fabric up a bit around baby's ears keeps everything pretty unnoticeable.  You can match them to your outfits, which I love.  While Sakura Bloom is my favorite brand, there are two Etsy shops, Vienna Springs and Lily & Mama that are very reputable and also have gorgeous colors!  Here is a little chart that will show you the difference between the different types of slings available. (I know, I'm a nerd but seriously I get these questions all the time!)

Another recommendation is to avoid buying from Sakura Bloom directly - I've found they don't have the greatest customer service (they're a SMALL operation) so I would recommend purchasing from Mom's Milk Boutique, a store that is local to me but has a great online selection.  Their staff is wonderful and knowledgeable.

Next up is the stretchy woven wrap.  I've tried two of these, and Solly Baby is my favorite.  It's VERY easy to learn to use - again YouTube videos - and it's the real hero for newborn babywearing.  See that teeny newborn squish in the right photo?  You can really wear your baby incredibly comfortably in a stretchy woven wrap, from birth, and be truly hands free.  When a baby is first born, slings often require a little hand on the head because they're so floppy.  With the stretchy woven wrap, you can tuck baby's head just under the shoulder strap and it will stay in place.  It feels like the closest thing to being back in the womb for babies, so it's fantastic for colicky little ones that need the "4th trimester."  These do work for babies up to 25 lbs though, and I wear Claire in our Solly wrap with her legs out pretty often still!  Solly Baby wraps are about $60, and that's probably the high end of the price range.  A great alternative are Baby K'tan wraps, which I wrote about here.

Using our Solly wrap on a walk just a few weeks ago.  

The latest babywearing device we've acquired is a soft structured carrier called a Tula.  These are definitely the most user-friendly baby carriers, but they are perhaps a bit better suited to larger babies.  You can get infant inserts, but I've heard that they get really hot.  This is easily Darrell's favorite carrier - we have a basic black one that he's perfectly happy to wear.  It's easy to put on by yourself and comfortable to wear for a very long time.  If I were taking Claire on a hike, this would be my pick.  If I were going out with friends, it would not.  Let's face it, oftentimes what's comfortable is also unfortunately pretty ugly.  Tula is probably the best type of soft structured carrier, but Ergos and Bobas are also really popular.  Tulas come in two sizes, standard and toddler, so you can literally wear your baby up to five years old.  You can also buy Tulas at Mom's Milk Boutique.  

That's it!  Do any of you have any experience with babywearing?  Any favorite carriers I should know about?  I know I left out woven wrapping....truthfully, it intimidates me a little and woven wraps are so expensive!  I'd love to hear your thoughts on the idea.